In a conventional labeling operation, articles to be labeled are conveyed single file through a labeling station. A label applicator at the labeling station applies a label to each article as such passes through the labeling station.
There are instances in which it is desirable to label articles which are arranged in side-by-side relationship on a conveyor. For example, some packaging equipment provides an output which includes side-by-side packages. There are also instances in which multiple rows of containers in open top cartons must be labeled.
One way to label side-by-side articles is to employ a wide backing strip carrying side-by-side labels and a wide peeling bar to remove the side-by-side labels from the backing strip. Label applicators of this type are known. However, the wide backing strip wastes a large amount of paper especially when the labels are relatively small and the articles to be lableled are relatively large and/or widely spaced. Thus, this approach becomes more impractical as the overall combined width of the side-by-side articles to be labeled increases. In addition, this method of label application cannot utilize the standard single row of labels on a backing strip.